Archive:P/A Spear Swipe Paragon
The Shadowgon uses shadowstepping and five debilitating conditions(Daze, Deep Wound, Bleeding, Burning and Cripple) to quickly overwhelm a caster. Attributes and Skills prof=Paragon/Assassin Spear=12+1+1 Leadership=11+1 Shadow=6ChargeSwipeSpearSpearSpearof FlameRefrainSignet/build Equipment * Survivor Insignias, Vitae Runes, Minor Spear Mastery and Minor Leadership, Superior Vigor. * A Silencing Spear of Fortitude, damage mod of choice. * A Zealous Spear of Fortitude, in case you need extra energy in battle. * A Shield of Fortitude with "I can see clearly now". Any shield will work, though if you are a PvP character, the Motivation Shield can sometimes give enemies the impression that you're support, and not DPS. * A Longbow to build adrenaline during standoffs. Usage * Keep Aggressive Refrain up by using Anthem of Flame. Use it when near allies to keep your energy level high. * Build up adrenaline during the standoff using your longbow(If there is a standoff). This will help you get Barbed Spear off sooner to cover daze, and charges Cruel Spear and Barbed spear more quickly in general. * Use Death's Charge on your target of choice(Preferably a caster), followed up with Spear Swipe to daze your target. Be sure Anthem of Flame is up before you shadowstep in, so that burning can also cover daze. * Cover daze with Barbed Spear's bleeding, then snare the target with Maiming Spear's cripple. Reapply Barbed Spear if you want to cover the cripple. * Use Cruel Spear when your target is below half health, and cover it with bleeding and cripple to prevent the Deep Wound's removal. * Continue to attack until the target dies or until you start being the major focus of attacks. Do not forget to reapply Anthem of Flame to keep Aggressive Refrain up. * Use Resurrection Signet to revive allies. Counters * Blind. * Blocking from multiple sources(Two Guardian Monks, for example). * Clumsiness/Ineptitude and other Anti-Attack hexes. * Blocking stances. * Purge Conditions Variants * Any other Shadowstep skills/spells may be used to suit your playstyle. * For focusing purely on shutting down a caster with permanent daze, consider Stunning Strike instead of Cruel Spear. ** In addition to Stunning Strike, consider Shadow Fang for a dual purpose skill: a shadow step and a source of Deep Wound. Keep in mind that being sent back to your location, if it does not break your line of sight, will not hamper your DPS as much as it would a melee class. *For defense in arenas, consider Heart of Shadow. *Take Shadow Walk for a shadow step that allows you to return to your previous location after using Spear Swipe. *Dash can be equipped for cancelling Shadow Walk or just as an overall speed boost. *Take "Go for the Eyes!" for energy and critical buff. *Equip "Fall Back!" to boost party movement. Notes * The Shadowgon takes a more aggressive approach than the Random Arena variant, forgoing personal defense to maximize damage and interruption speed during daze. It's DPS is good enough to even kill targets with self healing skills without assistance, but the lack of defensive shadowsteps and a shorter recharging heal means you need to rely on your monk if you are injured. This makes the variant much more Team Arena friendly, but is usable all-around. * The Random Arena variant is meant to apply daze, multiple conditions, and harass the target while giving yourself survival tools. While its damage is respectable, any non-caster target with Self Healing that is not a spell can survive if it is strong enough. Having other party members attack your target can help insure that your daze is used to maximum effect. * Though focusing on casters, you can annoy melee enemies as well with barbed spear and maiming spear to make your targets crippled and bleeding, and Cruel Spear for a coup de grace Deep Wound. This allows you to kite then and lets the weak degen of bleeding whittle your enemy down, and also lets your monks kite them as well if you cripple their persuer. * Though energy management is usually not a problem, do not continually use your energy skills aimlessly, or else you may find yourself in a bind when you need to shadowstep.